Monday, March 31, 2008

Today’s Opening Day. Ok. Ok. Technically there were two games last week in Japan and the Nationals opened their new park last night in DC, but today is really Opening Day. Today’s the day they close down the streets and have a parade in Cincinnati to commemorate the first pro baseball team that went 2-2 in 1869. Today’s the day the Giants and the Dodgers celebrate 50 years on the west coast. Today’s the day the Cubs take the field a century after winning their last World Series back in 1908.

I am a Cubs fan.

If you know anything about baseball, that will illicit some sort of response from you, most likely one of sympathy or pity.

Inevitably I am bound to spend some time on this blog musing about the Cubs season, especially now that I’ve plunked down the change to listen to the games online. I will try to keep such musings accessible to the average reader who might not follow baseball.

I am a baseball fan.

Over the years I have introduced many skeptics to the beauty of the game. Admittedly it’s not for everyone, but if you think baseball’s boring, you’re missing the point. But I won’t go into that right now.

Opening Day is about potential, about the one day every team is in first place. That is until you lose 4-3 in extra innings and join half the league in last place heading into game 2. Ah, that’s the Cubs starting off the season in style.

In 1789, the governor of Australia granted land and some animals to James Ruse in an experiment to see how long it would take him to support himself. Within 15 months he had become self sufficient. The area is still known as Experiment Farm. This is my Experiment Farm to see how long it will take me to support myself by writing.